The present invention relates to the provision of a tremolo on a string instrument for varying the tension within the strings so as to render a tremulous effect.
By varying the tension within the strings of a string instrument along the longitudinal axis of the strings, a tremulous effect can be produced as the strings are vibrated. Such an effect causes a rapid reiteration of the musical tones so as to sustain the tone produced by the vibrating strings.
Tremolos for producing such an effect within a string instrument have been well known for many years. The typical tremolo, however, has been hand operated. Such devices have required the player of the string instrument to utilize one hand for moving a hand lever. As the lever is rotated about an axis, it increases and decreases the tension within the strings along their longitudinal axis.
The operation of such a hand operated tremolo has been found to greatly limit the playing ability of the user. The utilization of such a tremolo significantly increases the complexity and required coordination in playing the instrument. When a number is being played which is in the least bit complicated it is generally required that the user release the tremolo lever completely since both hands must be free for playing the instrument.
With the advent of the electric guitars, the problems involved in utilizing a hand operated lever tremolo have been resolved by an appropriate electronic mechanism. Such a mechanism electronically generates the equivalent of a tremolo effect. With the utilization of such an electronic mechanism, however, it is difficult to obtain a slow varying effect which can be sustained over a prolonged period. The electronic mechanisms are either switched on or off and hence have sharply defined periods of operation. When the electronic tremolo cuts off the volume, it causes a loss of some of the tone and the desired sustentation of the tone which is obtained with a hand operated tremolo.
Typical hand operated lever tremolos are illustrated in the following U.S. Patents: U.S. Pat. No. 2,972,923 issued to C. L. Fender; U.S. Pat. No. 3,252,368 issued to A. W. Jeffery et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,437,001 issued to A. A. Kraft. All of these tremolos require the player to hand operate the lever for rendering the desired tremulous effect.
Examples of the electronic type tremolos are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,742,114 issued to R. G. Barkan and 3,136,853 issued to A. J. Bissonette et al. These electronic tremolos, however, suffer from those types of drawbacks previously discussed above.
Other types of vibration devices have been utilized with musical instruments, such as illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,407,434 issued to B. E. Mills and 3,267,790 issued to C. R. de John et al. The devices illustrated by these patents, however, cannot be easily and readily utilized for a tremolo device for a string instrument as desired in accordance with the present invention. The patent to Mills provides an electromagnetic tremolo which is designed to be utilized in a self-playing violin. The type of electromagnetic device illustrated in this patent would cause several problems if an attempt was made to utilize it on a modern string instrument since the device is extremely heavy and massive and would additionally cause electric static in the electric pickups and amplifiers typically utilized today with string instruments. In the patent to de John et al, a device for directly vibrating an instrument is illustrated. While this type of device could be utilized for directly vibrating the strings of the string instrument, it cannot be utilized in rendering a tremolo effect such as desired in accordance with the present invention.